Welcome to the wonderful of Mcdonald's...was all that echoed through my head at one time... I began working at Mcdonalds a few months after I turned 16. I loved the job very much, I met many people, and enjoyed the friednships I made. Yet, I was being exploited...The managers there, were working me over 40 hours a week, during the summer, and I was closing. Little did I know this was all illegal. Thankfully the management at the time has come and gone, and although many people at that time left, I remained...Two managers inspired me to move ahead in McDonalds, both were/are assistant managers. One named Mike taught me many things..he went out of his way to show me all I asked, he went above and beyond what he was supposed to do to help me, and I an forever indebted to him, wherever he has gone. The next was a young lady who came to our store, for secrecy purposes I shall call her Ashley. Ashley is the prime example of a honest, hardworking, no BSing leader. In February of 98 i got a Mcdonalds management book, MDP volume 1. Ashely taught the class to me and a few others, and I loved every moment of it. I became so obsessed and dedicated to work, I'd spend my everyday there, soaking up McKnowledge. Nobody could begin to understand the level of dedication I had for McDonald's. People would smile when I'd be going around singing McDonald's songs and having fun. McDonald's first mistake was to tell me I could be certified in the summer as a shift manager. I was so happy, of course I'd be happy, my dream was coming true! They even let me have a password on the computer, and help with a few deposits, i was entralled. Then the summer came, and what happened "Oh I was wrong, you can't be a shift or a swing manager till you're 18, nor can you touch cash, nor can you use the computer (ISP), said the supervisor. Well of course I was devastated, I had been lied to, it hurt, very badly. After then my old view of management and superiors resided, the only person I could trust was Ashley. But, as a strong person, I stuck by and let my anger pass, and went back to the model worker, with a great attitude. Then we received a new store manager, to replace the whiny old one who kept telling us all he hated his job. Well the new store manager was young, idealistic, and full of energy, and liked his job. I was ecstatic, finally some change! Well for story purposes we'll call him Darth Vader. Well Darth Vader worked with me for a bit, and saw my potential and dedication. Darth Vader took me under his wing as an apprentice. Did I mention he liked calling me hun? Anyways, he made promises and he kept them all, he got me into the regional management class, right after my 18th birthday. I was et and all gung-ho! But after I came back, with a month before i was to be certified, that's when i started to notice, how poorly he had been treating me. The it was like everyday I'd go in and get yelled at. Now whether it was his way of trying to make me hard, it was not right. I put in more hours, than any shift, swing, assistant, or store manager, at my store, ever week. And all my hardwork was UNNAPRECIATED. Then I ended up picking up after everyones trash...it was as if nobody in the entire store could do thaw stock, for the next morning; ie: tortilla's, hotcakes, etc. I was placed to work with Darth Vader every shift, and I felt like i was running the store everyday while he, was in the office, it was VERY annoying. Then came the time to be certified, which I did, and I was happy that my dream was finally realized...But then i started running shifts alone, and realized that nobody else in the store could run a decent shift, besides me, Ashley, and for secrecy purposes, the morning manager, Beka. Every single day, I'd have to come in and hour before my shift to take over a crappy shift, spending my whole hour stocking and preparing. Everyday there was always a call in. We even had an employee with a zillion writeups who Darth Vader would not get rid of. There was no discipline. Then we had other managers spending the wrong times off the floor to do things, other stalking behind your back to crew people. It was totally rediculous. Then for spring-up, which is a big cleaning, see how your store is deal, I spent the whole night cleaning, on my day off, and then Darth Vader came in, and started yelling at me, taking his own personal problems on me, it was ridiculous, then I stayed till 3pm, and when the company left, all the managers went outside, except for me and ate, they didnt even care about me, and I had been there ALL DAY AND NIGHT! If it was for Ashley, they woulda forgotten about me. Then I couldnt even get a simple thankyou. After that I was disgusted, and I didnt even get a raise till weeks after I was certified. The pressure kept building, my whole personal life, was ruined, I had basically no friends outside of work, and my life was being putting off; ie: college. So i put in my two weeks. After begging me to stay, I did, and i said I'd wasn't going to promise anything, but i'd stay as long as I could. Last night, I walked out. It was the hardest choice of my life. But after hearing myself being talked about, after taking over a lousy shift, after ridiculous customer complaints. I threw away everything I worked for, and left. I am proud. If you have anything to say, write me.
~Obi Wan Kenobi
